Compromises accompany Kaiser Hospital construction

As the Kaiser Hospital project moves to its next phase, impacts to neighbors and traffic patterns are unavoidable.

Details of that next phase became public Tuesday as Hillsboro’s Transportation Committee reviewed plans by Andersen Construction, the Portland firm erecting the medical complex, detailing their schedule and also how they plan to mitigate its effects.

Opposition to the plan came from the hospital’s neighbor to the south — the Streets of Tanasbourne. Matthew Klutznick, the retail center’s general manager, told the committee, “Kaiser completely fell through on communicating this plan with us; we expected the plan but never received it.” He said he had not spoken with anyone from Kaiser since November 2008.

No Kaiser Permanente Northwest staff was at the meeting, but a team from Andersen was present.

Major activity at the site began this summer with grading and excavation on the previously empty field surrounding the Sunset Medical Center on property bordered by Northwest Evergreen Parkway, Stucki Avenue, Venetian Drive and 194th Terrace.
The focus now is at the south end, where the steel framework of the hospital will rise beginning in February 2010. Then, preparation for the parking structure will advance in the northwest. Concrete trucks will soon begin arriving as work on the hospital foundation begins. A crane will set up in November.

According to Anderson’s plan, the majority of the activity will occur between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, but related work, subject to noise restrictions, may take place evenings and weekends too.

The Transportation Committee’s interest in these issues stemmed largely from the requirements of large trucks maneuvering through gates on Venetian Drive. Their wide turning radii would force intermittent shutdown of some on-street parking, about 16 spaces along the north and three on the south-side curbs. Also, during late spring and summer of 2010, brief lane closures along Stucki and 194th Terrace would be needed to tie into the storm sewer system and other utilities.

The loss of on-street parking was Klutznick’s main concern. He said the loss of any parking would have a negative effect on adjoining businesses. “In no way can I support or agree to this,” he said.

City Councilor Ed Dennis responded, “It’s not normal for us to have parties unable to resolve their issues, to come to us to resolve them for them.” He noted this is not the typical Hillsboro way.

Dennis Muhly, Andersen’s general superintendent for the project, suggested compromises to appease Klutznick’s objections. Although restricting parking near construction gates would be strategic, since trucks hauling steel girders need access close to the on-site equipment, the loss of parking spaces on Venetian’s north side could be shortened. Permanent driveways to serve the emergency room might be built ahead of time, then blocked off to restore parking places during the duration of the construction.

Although Transportation Committee members were sympathetic to the needs of Streets of Tanasbourne, Chairwoman Aron Carleson provided perspective. She said it would be very unusual for the city to go against a project of this magnitude, especially when they’d made concessions for similar projects. She did recommend Andersen ensure better communication, not only with the Streets of Tanasbourne, but also with the residential complexes to the east and west.

On Wednesday, Willy Paul, director of Kaiser’s Design and Construction Department, agreed Kaiser needed to make better communication efforts. At October’s end, construction offices will be set up in trailers to the north of Evergreen Parkway. They also plan to send out a monthly newsletter to all neighbors and establish a forum to accept responses.

Conversations with workers at businesses bordering Venetian Drive indicated the impact to them might be less than implied by the discussion at the Transportation Committee.

Allen Morris, an associate at Portrait Innovations, said, with the exception of Thursday and Friday nights and holidays, the adjoining parking lot is never full. Losing on-street parking “wouldn’t really affect us at all,” he said.

Robert Gamboa, Buffalo Wild Wings’ general manager, said, “We need every parking space we can get,” but mainly on Friday and Saturday nights. People always prefer to park as close as possible, even when there’s plenty of parking in the structure just south of his restaurant, where his employees already park, he said.

Gamboa acknowledged the hospital’s completion would ultimately bring more customers, so he was practical about inconveniences. “Wherever you have construction, there are always problems,” he said.

Karen Fox, of Beard’s Framing, said her store would have no parking problems. She did have one construction complaint, that Anderson may not be able to resolve. “I’ve had all those poor little bugs coming in because they tore up that field,” she said.